U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel today slammed Democrat Presidential candidate Barack Obama in an interview with the Omaha World Herald.
In it he said that Obama had "no foreign policy credentials".
In it he said that Obama had "no foreign policy credentials".
"I do think in a world that is so complicated, so interconnected and so combustible, you really got to have some people in charge that have some sense of the bigger scope of the world," Hagel said. "I think that's just a requirement."
"I think it's a stretch to, in any way, to say that (Obama's) got the experience to be president of the United States," Hagel said.
Oh. Wait.
He said that about Alaska Governor Sarah Palin?
But he MUST have meant Obama, right?
Obama hasn't even completed his first term in Congress.
He only recently went to meet with troops in the Mideast for the first time a few months ago.
He said that about Alaska Governor Sarah Palin?
But he MUST have meant Obama, right?
Obama hasn't even completed his first term in Congress.
He only recently went to meet with troops in the Mideast for the first time a few months ago.
And before he was a Senator, he was only in the Illinois state Senate. He has no military experience, and has no children in the military.
Governor Palin met with troops in the Mideast (before she was on the Presidential ticket). And her son is about to be shipped to Iraq. (Just how much more could one be focused than when their kid is going into the battle zone?)
Oh but Chuck is really concerned about a Vice President having all the right experience. We see now.
You know, like serving in Congress, the White House and as Secretary of Defense.
You know, like his good friend and confidant Vice President Dick Cheney.
(What? Chuck doesn't think much of Cheney? But...he said...experience...and...)
No, no. You see, Chuck Hagel has often characterized himself as an "Eisenhower Republican".
So what he means is, we should all look to Eisenhower's pick for Vice President.
Dick Nixon.
Or maybe, just maybe, Chuck is really just shilling for his good buddy Joe Biden (and his new BFF Obama), hoping that he can get a job in their administration.
Governor Palin met with troops in the Mideast (before she was on the Presidential ticket). And her son is about to be shipped to Iraq. (Just how much more could one be focused than when their kid is going into the battle zone?)
Oh but Chuck is really concerned about a Vice President having all the right experience. We see now.
You know, like serving in Congress, the White House and as Secretary of Defense.
You know, like his good friend and confidant Vice President Dick Cheney.
(What? Chuck doesn't think much of Cheney? But...he said...experience...and...)
No, no. You see, Chuck Hagel has often characterized himself as an "Eisenhower Republican".
So what he means is, we should all look to Eisenhower's pick for Vice President.
Dick Nixon.
Or maybe, just maybe, Chuck is really just shilling for his good buddy Joe Biden (and his new BFF Obama), hoping that he can get a job in their administration.
You mean Chuck is simply now a Democrat party hack?
Who'd a thunk it...
(You could ask Chuck about all this the next time you're at the Nebraska Breakfast in Washington. Oh wait, Hagel hasn't been all year? Well, forget it...)
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For those that care about this stuff, there is a LOT of back-channel goings on to see who will run for Omaha Mayor these days. And interested candidates, beyond Daub and Suttle, realize that they will have to start raising money asap.
At this point we see only a couple of realistic candidates on the horizon. Who will run?
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The state GOP and Dems are both doing voter registration drives this weekend.
The Huskers have a bye week, so feel free to volunteer with them, or get your bad self registered, at least.
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33 comments:
I believe that this sanctimonious sack of *!@! now figures out that he is (and always has been) inconsequential and as a result is insecure, so he still has to be heard, and his only in card is to continue to bash on Republicans. Sarah Palin is the best thing to happen to the Republican Party since the Republican Revolution of 1994.
He is clearly not a member of ANY party. But then again - there will be an Obama ad featuring this story --- hmmm, maybe he is a Democrat?
Chuck Hagel please just go away.
When are you folks going to join the reality based community? Even one of McCain's top spokepersons (not anymore), Carly Fiorina opined that Palin did not have the ability to run her previous company, HP, one that Carly was running into the ground before she was fired. (And in a Republican world that means one is handsomely rewarded for their incompetence with a bloated severance package.) The next day she said the same about McCain. I guess it's somehow harder to run a single corporation than be president of the most powerful country in the world. Amazing! Don't your brains ever explode from accepting and promulgating this nonsense?
Hagel, like Obama, was wrong on the surge.
But I don't see how meeting with troops makes you more qualified to be president. Palin met with troops in Kuwait not Iraq or Afghanistan.
Point taken about her child in the armed forces
Dick Cheney had loads of foreign policy experience.....and look where it got us.
"Oracle",
Carly Fiorina opined that NONE of the candidates -- McCain, Obama or the veeps, could run her company.
Mitt Romney, a CEO in his own right, said he thought McCain would be a good CEO.
Though last time I checked, none of them were running for CEO of HP.
SS, my point exactly. How can anyone take these McCain cheerleaders seriously when one implies that it is harder to run 1 corporation than be prez of the U.S. Eventually this nonsense is so over the top that all credibility is lost. Considering that he is able to run a multi-million dollar campaign that toppled the presumptive Democratic nominee (executive experience!)and was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review, I would bet that Obama could run HP much better than Fiorina did, not to mention this country. I would rather have the smart guy in charge than someone who graduated 894 out of a class of 899 in the Naval Academy, and who's story and talking points change each day (he was against regulation of the markets before he was for it).
Oracle,
No, you're missing the point.
One, you're either taking Fiorina's point about all of them or none of them.
Two, I don't see her saying one is "harder" than the other. Just that they are different. Her argument is that CEOs and Presidents aren't interchangeable.
Being a lawyer and a community organizer does not qualify you to run a multi-billion dollar , for-profit, company.
But thanks for the attempt to hijack the post...
I have liked Hagel in some aspects - it is admirable to have people who are not afraid to speak their minds. However, I think his dissing of Sarah Palin goes way too far and he has gotten way too full of himself and has forgotten that he is US Senator from Nebraska. He should resign right now and join Obama's campaign, clearly stating that he is campaigning for Secretary of State - where he could use his US passport for continued "tours" of Latin America or wherever.
Furthermore, it should be noted that whatever foreign policy experience Chuck Hagel himself has - he owes to the fact that he represented me in the US Senate, not because he is "so smart".
Foreign heads of state could care less about Chuck Hagel, the person - they really don't give a rats ass about him. But when he goes anywhere as a US Senator, they give him the curtousy of having a cup of tea with him. (and with his usual companion on these tours - Joe Biden)
So, Mr. Hagel - enough already - I think you should appologize to Sarah Palin personally and to the whole state of Nebraska.
So hypocrisy lives on both sides of the aisle and a perfect defense of why Neb Right to Life PAC clings to its automony from any political party or religious denomination. NRL PAC endorsed both Chuck Hagel and Ben Nelson over the years. In 2006 we were villified by Republicans for our sole endorsement of Nelson (per our policy.) Nelson subsequently endorsed Obama and other pro-aborts in 2008. Meanwhile the de facto head of the State GOP for the past 12 years does everything but outright endorse Obama and does what he can to dissuade voters away from McCain/Palin who happen to be the pro-life candidates in the race. The same people who wanted NRL PAC's head on a platter in 2006 aren't screaming at us for our endorsement of Hagel over the years. One more example to add to our PAC policy paper on double standards which we have shown to both pro-life Dem and GOP elected officials and candidates. It is not intended for public dissemination or as a hammer to harm anyone, but rather to bolster our policy of consistent adherence to a strict criteria for endorsements. That criteria does not include taking into account who a candidate endorses and/or gives money to or doesn't endorse. We wouldn't be able to endorse anyone on either side of the aisle if we held them to that. Sorry, SS, I had to vent...
Really? Hypocricy in Politics? Please.... this is the "street name" of this game.... but it the abortion debate is irrelevant to the issue at hand - which is : Chuck Hagel needs to think before he speaks, or perhaps during this election cycle - just share his PERSONAL opinions with those who care to listen to him.
The fact is, that as a Nebraska Senator, he should uphold the dignity and honor of this office and don't meddle in a mud fight to score himself some extra points with Obama... He can do that by telling his wife to contribute more to the Obama campaign - that would be less "filthy" and hypocritical.
By the way - who is the "de facto head of the State GOP" who is a step away from endorsing Obama???
I'm so tired of "pro-choice" being distorted into "pro-abort", Julie. NO ONE WHO IS PRO-CHOICE IS PRO-ABORTION. I may be for gun ownership rights, but that doesn't mean that I want everyone to go out and buy a gun. And I've got news for you. Assuming abortion is made illegal in some states, it will still occur. Why not work with those of us who are on the pro-choice side and want to reduce abortions instead of fighting to overturn Roe v Wade?
Hagel's parting shot at the Republicans and Nebraska and you know the OWH wouldn't have bothered with the story if it hadn't had some pro-Obama slnat to it. NE conservatives will probably grow to miss Chuck when he's replaced by Mike Johanns. On a good day, Mike is almost exciting as watch paint dry and he will be a backbencher for sure in the Senate. He doesn't have one core conservative bone in his body and once elected will be almost impossible for a true NE conservative to mount a serious Republican primary challenge. At least Chuck had the good sense to realize he'd worn out his welcome with NE voters and always takes the opportunity to demonstrate why.
Ah, thanks Julie! And here it is in print, in her own words, why an endorsement from Nebraska Right to Life means NOTHING.
Ditto anon 12:48. Nothing like alienating even your friends. Diplomacy - look it up.
She can't even raise enough money to send out her poorly laid-out voters guide. How sad she has run what should be an active organization into the ground.
Anons 12:46 & 1:19: That must explain why an endorsement from NRL PAC is one of the top three endorsements sought by Republican candidates in this State, along with the Farm Bureau and National Rifle Association endorsements. You might also want to ask every major federal and state candidate and plenty of legislative candidates why they want an NRL PAC endorsement. Don't know why they want their answers in that poorly laid out Voter Guide.
Julie, it's because everyone knows they have to play the game. BUT everyone with any kind of smarts understands it IS a game.
Candidates go after the Right to Life endorsement just to have that feather in their cap. They wave it around for a certain segment of voters that that means something to them. They can also throw out there -- "Hey, my opponent didn't get an endoresement from them!" Which is code for, "Please let that make the voters think they are pro-abortion." But we all know that's not the case. Just look at Pete Ricketts' race in 2006. Perfect example.
By getting an endorsement from you does NOT mean that that candidate is going to do anything to work towards getting rid of Roe v. Wade. It just means that they played your game to your liking for this election cycle.
SS, Come on.... what is this Roe v. Wade talk - this was supposed to be about Chuck Hagel being a piece of ***t, betraying every last ounce of trust he may have had with the people of Nebraska by making cheap shots against Sarah Palin....
This topic deserves to be discussed and not buried under what an endorsement that means nothing does for the future of this country.
Tell these girls to make their own blog and talk about this stuff there.
Oh, pardon me. By all means -- go on with your trash talk on Chuck.
Carry on!
Bringing up abortion on a blog is like bringing up Pete Rose on sports-radio.
Everyone has a strong opinion and everyone wants to talk about it.
Maybe we'll just have a post so everyone can discuss.
I would agree that it's not exactly on-topic for today's post. Though I suppose there is worse or less that could be discussed...
Evil Chuck Hagel, how dare you state your opinion when it differs from the party line!!! Dont you know you were elected to be a robot, not doing or saying anything that hasn't been cleared by the party bosses? Yuo should know when your a senator your no longer a individual, you are a puppet and you shall act as one! In fact you are not even allowed to talk to "those people", they are unclean and not worth our time. Shameful of you Chuck, shame on you.
I agree with you on everything ASG, except when you say they are "unclean." Remember Biden pronounced that Obama was "clean" awhile back?
The only thing that I find odd is that the people in Nebraska still care what Senator Hagel has to say considering he has not attended a Nebraska Breakfast in D.C. since he decided that he could not get reelected from this state. Why should we care about him since he, obviously, doesn't care about us?
The only one that seems to care what he has to say is the newspaper that he has interest in.
As far as Governor Palin's job experience, it is at least as good as the Democrat running for President and miles better than the Nebraska slate of Democrats running for Federal Office.
I have to ask, do you realize that it sucks to be a Democrat in Nebraska this year? Or is it just the the Democrats running for office suck this year?
I was trying to paint the picture that Dems are not to be collaborated with for any reason, especially for overseas trips to foreign countries.
Palin has lots of foreign policy experience. She can see Russia and Canada from her moose stand. She has had a passport for a whole 18 months. She once stopped in Ireland to refuel. She went to Kuwait and held up a gun like she was going to shoot something. She went into Iraq, oh wait, no she didn't. Well anyway, she once tried to ban National Geographic from the Wasilla library so she must have skimmed through it. Stop dissing our wonderful Sarah, Hagel the Horrible! She's the best!
We gave two specific examples of her international experience.
I would grant that it's not much, but then she's also not at the top of the ticket.
So Obama, who IS at the top of the ticket, has...what experience?
That Chuck Hagel held his hand through the Green Zone?
What I find funny is all these Republicans telling Hagel to basically go jump off a cliff, even though he has been one of the most Bush friendly voters in the Senate. These are the very same hypocrits who were going after Democrats when they got angry about Carter jumping ship and joining Lee Terry. So I take it you now agree that maybe the Democrats were well in their right to be upset since you're doing the very same thing??? Oh, wait, you're Republicans and what you do is never wrong/always right. Whatever. Carry on with your Hagel bashing.
I bet that if you asked Bush if he needed enemies, he would say not with a friend like Chuck!
Anon 5:01: Thanks for letting me get back to Hagel bashing: Hagel is a tool.
So Obama has more foreign policy experience then Palin? Like when he announced his plan for Iraq and then went over to browbeat Petraes into giving him a timetable and trying to get the Iraqis to delay getting American troops out of Iraq? You mean that kind of experience? Like the treasonous kind?
Just when you thought the RATS couldn't stoop any lower, a new standard appears.
Chuck Hagel, why you little!!! How dare you put country ahead of party? How dare you question our wise and benevolent leaders, Emperor Bush and Lord Cheney?!
On a more serious note, as for standards, I'd propose that myself, Obama, or anyone else who knows what the Bush Doctrine is is more prepared to be VP than Sarah Palin.
So Obama has more foreign policy experience then Palin?
Yes. Obama served on the Senate Foreign Relations committee and chaired the European Relations subcommittee. Palin has zero, zilch, nada in the way of foreign policy experience. More importantly, she has zero in the way of knowledge of the issue, has no track record, and has certainly demonstrated no intellectual curiosity of any kind on this or any other issue.
Like when he announced his plan for Iraq and then went over to browbeat Petraes into giving him a timetable and trying to get the Iraqis to delay getting American troops out of Iraq?
The Iraqi government wants a time table, the JCS want a time table, and even Bush now apparently does as well. All traitors and America-haters as well?
Like the treasonous kind?
If you're so concerned about treason, why don't you call for the indictment of Karl Rove? Why don't you call for Cheney, Rummy, and Wolfy to be strung up for fabricating intelligence to start a war and getting American soldiers killed?
No way, Tyler. You don't get to steal a base on that one. Obama was trying to negotiate directly with the Iraqi government to DELAY withdrawal of American troops until after the election. The Obama camp confirmed this. That's either very idiotic or just plain low. And if that's Obama's foreign policy experience, then give me the first 50 names starting with P out of the Wasilla phone book and I'll find somebody better.
And Obama was on that committee? How many meetings did he bother to attend? We know he never called a single meeting of the subcommittee he chaired...on Afghanistan. So the RATS have a lazy poseur, at best, at the top of the ticket and they're trying to beat down the VP choice on the GOP side when she has actually DEALT with foreign governments.
And as for Rove, Cheny, and the rest, you have absolutely NO PROOF that any intelligence data was made up. And by the way, they aren't running in this election.
Noone is bad-mouthing Hagel for allegedly putting country ahead of of party interests. All of the democratics here who say that, insult their readers intelligence, or just don't get it.
The Issue is that in this situation Hagel put his personal interests FIRST - and he got a few moments in the spotlight nationally - which he loves more than he loves himself (which is a pretty big thing).
If Sarah Palin is elected VP - in one month she could gather more international experience than Chuck Hagel could ever dream about, if you measure this by "attention from world leaders".
This is the point - very simple - Hagel blew this one and really embarrased himself.
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